Innocent?
by psycho-pink-faerie
Summary: COMPLETE: CHAPTER 16 NOW ADDED...  SP fic. Sam and Stuart are married with a daughter but she's having an affair with Phil... plz read
1. Chapter 1

**Another new fic... lol... Still suffering writers block on the others. Hope you like. Please read and review.**

**x Leanne x**

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**Innocent?**

**Chapter One**

"I have to go babe," Sam whispered, untangling herself from Phil and wrapping the sheet around herself as she stood up.

Phil sighed, following suit. "Can't you stay a bit longer?" He asked, kissing her gently.

Pulling away, she ran a hand tenderly down the side of his face before kissing him back. "I can't…" She said regretfully. "Stuart will be wondering where I am, and anyway…" She added hastily, noticing the look on his face. "I promised Chloe I'd be home in time to read to her before she went to bed."

"What did you tell Stuart?" Phil asked.

"That I was going out with a few mates."

"Sam…"Phil began hesitantly. "Things can't go on like this forever…you've got to work out what it is you want!"

Phil looked at her sadly as he spoke. "That it's me or him I guess!"

There was an awkward silence, Sam turned away from Phil, trying to refrain from crying. "Fine!" She said in a voice barely more than a whisper. "If you're forcing me to do this then I'm sorry Phil but I choose him."

Phil nodded slowly. "Okay," he said, trying to take it in. "Can I ask why?"

Sam started gathering her things together and getting dressed. "I have to…" She said simply. "For Chloe's sake, but it doesn't mean that I don't love you, because I do…"

"Don't do this Sam…" He took her hands, tears blurring his vision. "I love you… I love you so much!"

She pulled her hands away and began to button up her blouse. "I love you too…you mean the world to me…you know you do." She choked out. "I just wish I'd had the guts to tell you sooner – before Stuart asked me to marry him…before Chloe was born…" She reached for her bag, quickly reapplying lipstick with shaking hands. "You understand why I'm doing this…don't you?"

Phil wiped his eyes roughly. "I understand," he replied. "You just want what's best for your daughter…I guess I should have seen that one coming," he said. "Good old Samantha Nixon, always putting other people's happiness before her own – that's a very admirable trait!" He said trying to smile but not quite managing it. He sat down on the edge of the bed and put his head in his hands.

Sam picked up her jacket, before bending down beside him and kissing a tear stained cheek. "I wish this could have worked out for us." Phil didn't reply. "I'll see myself out," she finished quietly.

Phil looked up and nodded. "Yeah, I guess I'll see you Monday!" He said hollowly. "Have a good weekend!"

"You too!" With that Sam turned and without turning back to face him… without giving herself the chance to change her mind, she ran out of the house in tears.

As she drove home, she tried to convince herself that she had done the right thing in ending her affair…but she couldn't. It was Phil she loved…Phil she wanted to spend the rest of her life with – not Stuart. What was she doing?

Pulling into her drive she wiped her face and tried to compose herself as she got out of the car. Taking a deep breath, she walked into her house. "I'm back," she called loudly.

Sam's six-year-old daughter, Chloe came running into the hall. "Mummy!" She shrieked, throwing herself at her.

Sam picked her up and hugged her tightly, burying her face in a mass of blonde curls. "Hey baby!" She said through sudden tears. "You had a good day?"

Chloe lifted her head off her mum's shoulder. She nodded. "Me and daddy made cookies!"

"That's nice darling!" Sam said brightly. "Where is daddy?"

"In there!" She pointed to the kitchen.

Still holding Chloe, Sam walked in the room to find Stuart standing washing up. "Hey!" She said.

"Hi!" He said, turning round. "Did you have a good time with your friends?"

"Yeah!" Sam answered uncomfortably, not meeting his eyes.

Stuart dried his hands on a towel. He walked over to them and spoke to Chloe. "Bed time for you I think!" He said, kissing her on the forehead. "Night sweetheart, I love you!"

"I love you too Daddy!"

"I'll take her up," Sam said quickly, trying to put off being on her own with him. She carried her daughter upstairs and tucked her in bed. She read her a short story and soon Chloe was tired.

She yawned. "I love you mummy!" She said sleepily. "More than daddy!"

Sam smiled and kissed her gently. "I love you too darling." She said before switching out the bedroom light. "Night baby, I'll see you in the morning." She whispered softly.

When she went back downstairs, she found Stuart, in the sitting room waiting for her. "Is she asleep?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah…" she said.

"We need to talk!" He said abruptly, standing up and closing the door before leaning against it.

"Do we?" Sam asked nervously. She could guess what was coming.

"I think you know we do, I know Sam!"

"Know what?" Sam said, playing for time. She folded her arms defensively.

"I know about you and Phil…" Stuart looked at her, his eyes narrowing.

"Me and Phil? There is no 'me and Phil'!" Sam said. ' Well not anymore…' she thought, trying to keep from crying.

"You're lying!" Stuart raised his voice.

"No I'm not…Stuart, why would I lie to you?" Sam answered, almost pleading. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Where is this coming from? I love you!" She told him.

He shrugged her off. "Don't touch me!" He snapped.

"Please Stuart, she looked up at him. "I swear that nothing has happened between me and Phil!" She said.

Stuart looked her up and down and seemed satisfied. "Fine!" He said, turning to leave.

Sam let out a breath, relieved that the confrontation was over and that her secret was still safe. Suddenly Stuart turned back towards her and slapped her hard around the face. She was left reeling. "What was that for? I'm telling you the truth."

He leaned towards her, forcing her up against the wall, causing a pain to shoot through her chest. "Maybe you are, but this is just a little reminder of what will happen if I find out you've been lying to me!" He said. He was close enough to her for Sam to be able to smell alcohol on his breath.

He grabbed her arm violently and twisted it behind her back. "Stuart… let go, you're hurting me," she whimpered in pain.

"Good!" He said, sharply, glaring at her. Striking one final blow at her chest, he turned and stormed out of the house… the door slamming shut behind him.

Sam moved across the room and collapsed on the sofa in tears, failing to notice Chloe, glancing around the living room door. "Mummy!" She said quietly.

Sam looked up, wiping her eyes. "What are you doing up baby?" She said trying to smile. "You should be asleep."

Chloe ran across the room to her and climbed onto her lap. "I had a bad dream!"

Sam wrapped her up in her arms and rocked her gently. "Try not to think about it anymore, sweetheart, go back to sleep."

Her daughter's head rested against her chest. "Mummy?" She said a few minutes later.

Sam looked down at her. "Yes honey," she said.

"Do you love me more than daddy?"

Sam closed her eyes momentarily, trying to keep a lid on her emotions. "Yes, I do!" She said finally.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to all thirteen people who reviewed chapter one. This chapter's for you guys. Hope you like, please read and review. **

**Luv Leanne x**

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**Chapter Two**

The weekend passed quickly after that and soon it was Monday. Sam was dreading going into work and having to face Phil…and Stuart. He hadn't been home since their fight on Saturday evening, but she wasn't worried about him. He could take care of himself all right.

Pulling up in a parking space outside the station, she noticed Phil's car already there. She checked her watch. 'Phil Hunter, early for a shift…whatever next?' She thought. She walked up the stairs to the CID office and looked through the frosted glance.

Phil was sitting at his computer, reading through some witness statements. He sighed, as he read the same paragraph for the third time. It was no good; he couldn't even concentrate on his job this morning.

He looked up from his desk as Sam walked in and dropped down into her desk chair opposite him. "Hey!" She said, smiling briefly.

"Hi!" Phil answered back, uncomfortably. "You okay?"

Sam shrugged, "not really!" She said. "How about you?" Phil didn't reply at first. He didn't need to… the look on his face said every thing she needed to know. She sighed, this was really awkward.

"We need to talk!" Phil said in a low voice.

She sighed. Those four words... They were the same four words that had started her conversation with Stuart…and look how that had ended up. "Do we?" She said, same response too. As far as she was concerned there was nothing left to say. She said as much to Phil. "I thought we'd said all we needed to Saturday."

He didn't say anything to that. All he said was "Interview room 2, lunchtime."

They were the only words of that nature that Sam and Phil exchanged that morning, even though they were working together for the best part of it. After that all they'd spoken about had been the case.

Back at the station, Sam realised that she still had a whole hour to kill before she had to meet Phil. She stood up, planning on going down to the canteen for some food, when she came face to face with Stuart. She didn't know how to react. "Hi!" She said finally.

"Hi… listen Sam, can we talk?" Stuart said. He looked nearly as nervous as she did, which was something at least.

"I don't know." Sam said coldly. Stuart looked at her. "It depends whether you've calmed down or not."

Stuart took her by the hand, "Come on Sam… don't be like that!"

Sam shrugged him off and folded her arms. "Why shouldn't I be? After the way you acted are you surprised?" She began to walk out of the office.

Stuart actually had the grace to look ashamed " I'm sorry!" He said, as he followed after her.

"And that makes it all right, does it?" She said raising her voice slightly, her eyes flashing in anger. She pulled him into an interview room, first checking it was empty, before she exploded. "YOU'VE SAID YOU'RE SORRY SO YOU THINK THAT MAKES EVERYTHING OKAY, DO YOU?" She paused. "WELL IT DOESN'T, IT ISN'T…" She continued, answering her own question, at the same time, undoing her shirt to reveal a large purple bruise. "Look…" She said shakily, "Look what you did to me Stuart!"

He reached out a hand and she moved away from him. "I know… I didn't mean to… I just lost control… please Sam…"

"What?" Sam glared at him, whilst buttoning up her blouse. "Surely you can't expect me to say it doesn't matter, because I think we both know that's not going to happen."

"Oh!" Was all Stuart think of to say to that.

"You hurt me Stuart, and that's not something you can fix overnight!"

He looked at the ground. "I understand that," he said. There was a silence. "Are we okay Sam?"

Sam shrugged, "I don't know, let's just see how it goes, okay?" She said, not wanting to make any promises.

Stuart nodded, "Fair enough," he answered.

Sam smiled and hugged him briefly. "Are you coming home tonight? Chloe wondered where you were yesterday!"

He nodded again, "yeah, I'll be home about six…" He told her.

"Why didn't you come home at the weekend?"

Stuart looked her in the eye. "Honestly?" She nodded. "Because I felt guilty… I couldn't face you…"

"Where did you sleep?"

"In the car!" He admitted. Sam laughed. "What?" Stuart asked.

She shook her head. "Nothing!" She replied. "We should get back to work." He nodded, moving to kiss her. She pulled away, "not here, someone could walk in!" She made her excuses.

"Right… so I guess I'll see you tonight at home then?"

"Yeah, I'll see you later."

"I love you."

Sam smiled at him, but she couldn't say those three words back to him – not without lying anyway. Something had changed between them the night they'd rowed. She didn't know what it was, but she knew things couldn't go back to being the way they were. "I know you do!" She said finally.

They walked out of the room and Stuart turned the corner and walked down the stairs in the direction of the canteen. Sam walked into CID, checked the clock and saw that she still had ten minutes before her 'talk' with Phil.

She walked over to the coffee machine, Phil walked up behind her quietly "Sam?" He said.

She spun round, nearly spilling her drink over herself. "Yeah!" She answered.

"Are you busy?"

She shook her head. "No, why?" She asked, drinking from the cup.

He didn't answer. "Come on…" he said. "I can't wait another ten minutes…I need to talk to you now!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Sam not saying a word drained her drink and nodded. She tossed her cup in the bin and followed him out of CID and down the stairs. Instead of going into the interview room, Phil walked past them, through the reception and out of the station. "Where are we going?" She asked.

Phil didn't look at her. "I thought it'd be better if we got away from the station!" He said. "We can go to that little café just down the road from here!"

Sam nodded. "Okay, if that's what you'd prefer!" She replied. They walked along in silence, until they got to the café. Phil pushed open the door for her. She smiled briefly, "thanks!"

They sat down and a waitress walked over to them. "What can I get you?" She asked.

"Just a coffee thanks" Phil said, too nervous to eat. "Sam?"

"I'll have the same… black!" She answered. Even after their drinks were brought and the waitress had gone back to cleaning tables, Phil didn't speak. "What's this about Phil?"

Phil dropped his gaze. "What would you say if I told you I'd made a mistake in making you choose between me and Stuart?" He said quietly.

"Apart from, too right you have, you mean?" Sam said with a small smile.

"Yeah!" He said. He took her hand. "I love you Sam… it wasn't fair of me to give you an ultimatum…"

"I love you too, and no it wasn't!"

"You were already risking your marriage and your daughter's happiness by sleeping with me…" He continued, as though she hadn't spoken. " It's just it… it broke my heart seeing you go back to him, every time…"

"What are you trying to say?" Sam asked, confused.

He reached across the table and took her hand. "I guess what I'm trying to say is…is…" he looked at her helplessly. "Will you give me another chance?" The words tumbled out of his mouth.

Sam looked at him, surprised. "What about Stuart?" She asked.

Phil shrugged, "that doesn't matter..."

"But you said you were jealous…"

"I'll deal with it…it doesn't matter…" Phil fixed his gaze on her. "I'll take what I can get Sam! I can't lose you completely… it hurts too much…" He said. "So, will you?"

Sam's eyes filled with tears. "Of course I will, I missed you so much yesterday, I kept wanting to call you… to make you change your mind…I love you so much Phil…" She said, her voice thick with emotion.

"Oh Sam… Stuart really doesn't deserve you… he'll never love you even half as much as I do!"

A tear ran down her cheek, Phil wiped it away. "Let's not spoil things by talking about him…" She said.

Phil checked his watch, "Well we've still got about 45 minutes, what do you say we finish these and go back to my place?" He gave her the trademark, Phil Hunter smile.

She nodded. "Sounds like a plan!" He only lived round the corner from the station, so they had time. She picked up her cup and drank the last of the coffee.

They paid the bill, stood up and walked outside. Phil wrapped an arm around Sam's waist, she rested her head on his shoulder and they walked to his place in a companiable silence.

Phil opened the door and they went in. No sooner had Sam pushed the door shut, when Phil pinned her against it, and began to kiss her urgently. She brought her hands up and started undoing his shirt as he kissed his way from her mouth down her neck. As their bodies pressed together, Phil lead her up to his bedroom. Pushing her down onto the bed, he shrugged off the shirt, still kissing her. She wrapped her aroms around his neck and pulled him down ontop of her. "Ow…" She complained, the bruises on her chest reminding her why this wasn't such a good idea.

"What's wrong babe?" Phil asked anxiously, sitting up.

"It's nothing!" Sam said quickly. She didn't want to give Phil any more reason to hate Stuart than he already did.

"Don't give me that!" He said. "I know something's up!"

"I'm fine, really!" She smiled, running a hand down the side of his face.

That was when he noticed the purple bruising on her arm. "How did that happen?" He asked suspiciously.

"Oh… I caught it on the door!" She lied, pulling away abruptly.

"Take off your blouse!" Phil said, fearing the worst.

"What?" Sam said, her heart sinking.

"You heard!"

She turned away from him. Slowly, she did as he said, unbuttoning it with trembling fingers. Removing it completely, he turned her back towards him. He let out a horrified gasp, as he saw the full extent of her beating. "Oh Sam… did Stuart do that to you?"

Her eyes filled with tears. She nodded mutely. "He was drunk!" She tried to excuse his behaviour. "He guessed I was seeing you…"

"Did you tell him you weren't?"

"Yeah, he believed me… he said…" Her voice wavered before breaking, "He said that what he'd done was just a warning of what would happen if he found out I was lying to him."

"You have to report it!" Phil said heatedly, "You can't let him get away with that!"

Sam shook her head. "I can't, he didn't mean to do it… "

"Being drunk's no excuse for violence Sam…what if he does it again? It could be worse next time…"

"He won't…he told me he's sorry!" She replied, knowing how pathetic she sounded.

"Sorry doesn't mean anything Sam… what about Chloe? If he could do that to you, think what he could do to her."

She shook her head again, "NO!" She answered. "He wouldn't," she lowered her voice. "He loves his daughter, he wouldn't hurt her."

Phil sighed, "If you say so," he said. "Has he ever done anything like this before?"

Sam shook her head. "No…well there was one other time…"

"Why did you stay with him?"

"Because I wanted my daughter to grow up with parents that loved her, I never had that… I just want what's best for her!" Sam explained.

"What's best for her? What's best for her would be for you to take her away from there, its not safe…" Phil said, trying to make Sam see sense.

"I don't think that's your decision to make Phil!" She said shortly.

Phil looked down at the bed, "you're right!" He replied. "I know you're right but I just couldn't bear it if something happened to you… I'd never forgive myself for letting you stay with him… for not making you report it!"

"We should probably be getting back!" Sam said, changing the subject.

"We've still got 25 minutes," he pointed out. "I'll drop the Stuart thing, okay?"

Sam nodded, "thank you!"

"On one condition…"

She sighed, "Go on then!"

"You think about everything I've said about Stuart…" He said, unable to let the conversation rest!"

"Okay… I'll think about it!" She said, kissing him lightly. He pulled her into his arms and deepened the kiss, at the same time sliding his hands around her back, and expertly, unhooking her bra. He moved his kisses from her mouth to her throat. "I love you Sam," he said between kisses.

"I love you too!" She replied.

**Half hour later**

Sam lifted her head off Phil's chest. "I've made a decision!" She said.

"About the Stuart thing?" She nodded, he sat up in bed. "Well?"

"How would you feel about moving into my place, with me and Chloe?" She asked smiling.

His eyes widened. "Really?"

She nodded, "I'm going to tell Stuart that it's over… I'm going to tell him to leave."

"Do you want me to come with you?" He wrapped an arm around her protectively.

She shook her head. "Thanks Phil, but this is something I have to do on my own!"

"What if he tries to hurt you again?"

"He won't… not if he wants access to Chloe!" She said.

"Well I still don't like it… but okay, if that's what you want." He told her. "When you going to tell him?"

"Tonight!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you to Vikki, Laura,becca996,Sarah,Newsteadgirl, Gem, Karri and Strizzy for reviewing the last chapter. This ones for you guys. Hope you like... plz R&R.**

**luv ya all**

**xXx Leanne xXx**

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**Chapter Four**

When Sam got home from work that evening, she was surprised to find that Stuart was home before her – usually he didn't come in until 9 at night. She took a deep breath before nervously, opening the door. "I'm home!" She called loudly.

Stuart came into the hall and hugged her. "Hey," he said. "You okay?"

Sam nodded, trying to act as normal as possible. As they hugged, she could smell the unmistakable scent of alcohol. "Where's Chloe?" She asked.

"Upstairs, she's watching a DVD… I'm making dinner!" He said.

"Great!" She replied half-heartedly. "Listen Stuart… can we sit down? We need to talk!"

"Why am I not liking the sound of this?" Stuart said, the smile leaving his face.

"Let's sit down!" Sam said again, leading him through to the sitting room and closing the door so Chloe couldn't hear.

"What's this about Sam? You're making me nervous! Are you pregnant again…or sick or something?" He asked.

She shook her head. "No it's nothing like that," she replied. "This is the thing, I…" She paused, not knowing how to say what she wanted to. "I want a divorce!" She said finally. Stuart sat there stunned into silence. "Say something Stuart!" She begged.

"Why?" He said quietly. "Why? WHY NOW SAM?" He raised his voice when she didn't answer. "ANSWER ME!" He shouted.

Sam began to cry quietly. "Because I didn't think it was fair on either of us if I pretended I still loved you."

"Pretended you still loved me? When did you stop loving me?" Stuart asked. "Is it because of Saturday?"

She shook her head. "No it was before that… the truth is Stuart I…" Another pause…

"There's someone else isn't there?" Stuart said in a low angry voice. Sam nodded not saying a word. It's Phil isn't it? You're leaving me for him…" Another nod…

"It's not like that…" She began finding her voice.

"Isn't it? What is it then? Because I'd like to know!"

Sam wiped tears from her eyes before answering. "I love him, I tried to fight it… I really did… but we couldn't help it…"

"How long has it been going on?"

"Is there really any point in torturing yourself with that knowledge?" Sam said dully.

"YOU'VE JUST TOLD ME YOU'RE LEAVING ME FOR ANOTHER GUY… NOT JUST ANY OTHER GUY BUT PHIL HUNTER…AND WHEN I WANT TO KNOW THE DETAILS YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE THE DECENCY TO TELL ME!" Stuart shouted angrily.

"Okay, I'll tell you!" Sam said, "Just keep your voice down, Chloe's upstairs, I don't want her hearing this!"

"Why shouldn't she hear it? At least she'll know what a slut she has for a mother!"

Sam didn't say anything to that. She just looked like she'd been slapped in the face. "That was uncalled for!" She said finally.

"Well it's the truth! So how long ago did you start shagging Phil behind my back?"

She shrugged, "I don't know… since Christmas," she answered.

"When I came home early that time, Phil was here… were you…" He broke off.

Sam nodded. "Yeah…"

"YOU SLEPT WITH HIM IN OUR BED! YOU DIRTY LITTLE SLAPPER, DON'T YOU HAVE ANY RESPECT FOR ME?" Stuart ranted, the alcohol talking.

"DON'T YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT RESPECT!" Sam yelled, suddenly furious with him. "YOU DON'T KNOW THE MEANING OF THE WORD!"

"DON'T I? I'M NOT THE ONE WHO'S BEEN PLAYING AWAY!"

"WELL TAKE A LOOK AT YOURSELF STUART THEN YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY SEE WHY I LOOKED ELSEWHERE!" Sam shot back. "IF YOU'RE NOT TOO THICK FOR IT TO SINK IN THAT IS!"

"DON'T CALL ME THICK AND DON'T YOU DARE BLAME ME, I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING WRONG… I LOVE YOU… I CARE ABOUT YOU… I CAN GIVE YOU ANYTHING YOU WANT…"

"HAVE YOU GOT SUCH A SHORT MEMORY THAT YOU CAN'T REMEMBER SATURDAY?" Sam lifted her shirt up. "MAYBE THIS WILL REMIND YOU… IF YOU CARED ABOUT ME YOU WOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT!"

"Are you finished?" Stuart said.

"Not quite!" Sam said, "the one thing I want, you can't give me. I want Phil!"

"What about Chloe?"

"Well you can see her alternate weekends and some holidays…" Sam began, sensing that he wouldn't be happy with this arrangement.

"NO WAY!" Stuart said, "Why should you get custody of her? She's my daughter just as much as yours…it's not fair!"

"Is it fair that I had to carry her for nine months? IS IT FAIR THAT I HAD TO GIVE UP DOING ALL THE STUFF I LOVED… GIVE UP MY JOB?" She started to shout. "IS IT FAIR THAT I HAD TO GO THROUGH a 28-HOUR LABOUR? DON'T YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT'S FAIR!"

"YOU ARE NOT TAKING MY DAUGHTER AWAY!"

Sam narrowed her eyes. "Try and stop me!" She said. "I want you to leave… I want you to leave now!"

Stuart shook his head. "No way!" He answered, "I'm not going anywhere!"

She shrugged, "fine then…me and Chloe will go!" She turned away. "I'm going upstairs to pack!"

Fifteen minutes later, she came back downstairs carrying Chloe and dragging behind her a large suitcase on wheels. Stuart was nowhere in sight. She breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe this wouldn't be as difficult as she'd feared. She turned towards the door and saw Stuart standing, leaning casually against it, and holding a knife from the kitchen drawer. She froze "Go back upstairs for a minute darling," she whispered to Chloe. "Daddy and I just need to have a little chat!" She finished, trying to keep the panic in her voice from showing.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed chapter four... i was going to leave it a while before updating but i decided i couldn't. (Well i could but it wouldn't be fair.) Hope you like this chapter. Plz R+R.**

**xXx Leanne xXx**

**Chapter Five**

"What the hell do you think you are playing at?" Sam hissed furiously, after Chloe had disappeared back up to her room.

Stuart rubbed the blade of the knife with his thumb and forefinger. "If I can't have you then I'm going to make damn sure that no-one else can!" He said, a murderous look in his eyes.

"This is insane…" Sam said, "Have you gone completely mad?" Her voice rose hysterically.

"Insane am I?" He said, suddenly moving from the door and pinning Sam up against the wall.

She shivered, the cold steel of the knife pressing against her bare skin. "Go on, do it!" She said, "Stab me… you won't get away with killing a copper, you should know that! How long do you reckon you'll get?"

"Stop talking!" Stuart said, his eyes narrowing.

"And what about Chloe?" Sam continued, ignoring him. "What do you suppose will happen to her with her mum dead and her dad in prison?"

"I told you to shut up!" Stuart shouted. He grabbed her and she started to scream. He clamped one hand across her mouth and brought the one holding the knife up to her throat. "Don't move!" He ordered her.

Sam gulped, as she felt the blade inches away from her. "Okay." She mouthed, losing all rational powers of speech. How was she going to get out of this one? She glanced around the room, looking for something to grab in her defence. Her eyes fell on a small heavy stone statue, just metres away. Dare she?

As soon as he was sure that she wasn't going to start screaming again, he removed the hand from her mouth and the knife from her throat, "you shouldn't have made me do that!" He told her patronisingly.

She glared at him. "What's the point of this Stuart?" She asked, "What's it going to achieve?" Stuart didn't answer. "Nothing good will come of it you know…"

"Be quiet!" He snapped sharply, raising the knife again.

"You'll just end up in prison for life… except that it won't be life… you'll be let out in 20 years… when there's nothing left for you on the outside, Chloe won't want to know you and you'll never fit in anywhere, you'll be an outcast in society…" She paused, noticing the warning glare in his eyes. She changed tack. "We can sort this out Stuart…let's just sit down and talk about it!"

Stuart shrugged. "Okay…" He said. "It won't change anything though… you've already made up your mind! He sat down on the sofa.

"What if I was to stay here?" Sam asked, suddenly seeing a way out of this. She sat down on a chair, a few inches away from the statue.

"With me?"

She nodded. "With you and Chloe!" She confirmed. "I still love you Stuart…" She lied. "We can still make this work."

"Do you mean that?" Stuart asked suspiciously.

"Of course I do!"

"What about Phil?" He questioned.

Sam shrugged, "what about him? Loads of people have affairs; their marriages can be rebuilt after. Why should we be any different?" She stood up.

Stuart stood up and walked over to her. Leaning in towards her, she thought he was going to kiss her but instead he spat in her face. "HOW STUPID DO YOU THINK I AM SAM?" He yelled. "I DIDN'T COME DOWN IN THE LAST SHOWER… I KNOW YOU'D NEVER GIVE PHIL UP FOR ME!" He ranted. He grabbed the knife from where he'd laid it on the coffee table. "This is the only way!" He said advancing towards her.

Panicking, she darted over to the corner where the statue was and picked it up. Stuart laughed. "Oh, I'm so so frightened," he mocked her. Bringing the knife up under her chin, he leaned in close. "What you going to do? Hit me?"

"If I have to!" Sam said, her tone braver than she felt.

"Go on then!" Stuart said, "do it!" He tightened his grip around her neck, so she couldn't breathe properly. She lifted one of her arms to try and loosen his grip, and he brought the knife down slashing one of her forearms, causing blood to start trickling out.

Sam let out a gasp of pain and twisted her way out of his grasp. She ran out of the room – still clutching the statue in one hand - slamming the door in Stuart's face, as he chased after her. She darted into the hall and grabbed the phone off the stand. Dialling the number to Sun Hill with shaking fingers, she put the phone to her ear. "JT, it's DS Nixon…" she began, when he answered. "I need you to send someone over to my place now! It's Stuart… he…"

The line went dead; Sam spun round to find Stuart standing behind her, holding the end of the telephone wire, which he'd unplugged. "You just made a very big mistake!" He said, lunging towards her with the knife. She dodged his attack, and making a split second decision, brought the statue down over his head. It hit him with a resounding crack and he fell to the floor, blood seeping out onto the laminate flooring. The knife lying abandoned just inches away…

Sam took a deep breath, steadying herself before turning back to face Stuart's body, lying face down on the floor. Dropping the statue, she knelt down next to him and felt for a pulse, her clothes getting covered in his blood. She couldn't find one. She started to cry. What had she done?


	6. Chapter 6

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**Thank yous to: Kelly, Vikki, Laura, Beccy, Emz25, Strizzy, Ellyce, Zoe, Sarah, Amy, Karri(?) and Newsteadgirl for reviewing chapter 5. This one's for you guys. Another thank you to Vikki for proofing the chapter! Hope you like. Please read and review. **

**Luv yaz**

**xXx Leanne xXx**

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**Chapter Six**

Sam sat on the sofa, sobbing hard and shaking violently. She heard a vehicle pull up outside her house, followed by a knock at the door. She buried her head in a cushion.

Outside the house, DCI Meadows, Terry and Phil were standing on the front porch. Phil bent down and looked through the letterbox. "Sam!" He called loudly, concerned for his lover's safety. "Sam, if you're in there, please open the door." He exchanged a worried look with the DCI. "What we going to do Guv?" He asked.

Jack thought about it momentarily. "Break the door down!" He said to Terry.

Phil stepped in front of them, fumbling in his pocket. "There's no need for that!" He said, pulling out a key. "Somehow I don't think she'll be too happy with us kicking her front door in…"

"Okay…" Jack said, "I'm not even going to bother asking why you have a key to Sam and Stuart's house, but it looks like it's come in useful!" He finished.

Phil turned the key in the lock, pushed the door open and raced into the house, immediately realising that something was amiss. "Sam!" He called loudly. He pushed open another door and saw blood splattered up the wall, and Stuart's lifeless body lying there!" "SAM!" He shouted again loudly, panicking.

Jack came into the hall behind him, and saw the scene. He grabbed his mobile and dialled an ambulance. "Me and Terry will check upstairs!" He said afterwards.

Phil nodded. "Okay," he replied. He heard sobbing coming from the sitting room and cautiously opened the door. When he saw Sam sitting there, covered in blood, he rushed over to her. "Sam…are you okay? Did he hurt you baby?"

Sam shook her head, and then nodded. She lifted her arm, revealing the knife wound. "It's only a scratch!" She said, quietly.

"You should get it looked at!" He said wrapping a protective arm around her.

"Phil… I didn't mean to…" Sam stammered, trying to hold back tears. "It was self defence…"

"Why don't you tell me what happened?" He said softly, dropping a kiss on her head, noticing Jack and Terry appear at the living room door, Terry holding her daughter.

She shook her head again. "I don't really remember, it all happened so fast!" She said. "I told Stuart I was leaving him, and we had a row. I asked him to leave, and he refused…" Sam paused, hearing the ambulance pull up outside.

DCI Meadows turned to Terry. "Go and let the paramedics in!" He whispered, before exchanging a look with Phil and taking Chloe from him.

"Then what happened?"

"I told him me and Chloe would go, I went upstairs, packed up some of our things. We were about to leave… I turned to open the door and he was just standing there…we rowed, he tried to attack me… I…I panicked…"

"What did you do?"

"I grabbed the nearest thing and…and… and…" She began to sob heavily again.

Phil pulled her towards him and wrapped her tightly in his arms. "Ssshhhh… Sam it's okay, everything's going to be okay." He whispered rocking her as she cried and attempting to wipe away her tears.

Jack came further into the room, Sam didn't look round. "Okay Phil!" He said. "That'll do. We've got about an hour until MIT arrive, so we've got to move fast on this, since you were the first on the scene would you…" He broke off, awkwardly, as Terry came back in the room and whispered something to him.

Phil nodded, "Guv!" He said, he didn't want to… of course he didn't, but what choice did he have? "Samantha Nixon…" He began not making eye contact with her as he spoke. "I'm…I'm arresting…" He looked at Jack. "Sorry Guv, I can't…" He said uncomfortably.

Jack nodded. "It's fine Phil, Terry, would you?" He said.

DC Perkins nodded and stepped forward. "Samantha Nixon, I'm arresting you on suspicion of the murder of Stuart Turner. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned, something which you may later rely on in court. Anything you do say maybe given in evidence. Do you understand?

Sam nodded silently, tears coursing down her cheeks. She stood up. Chloe, who had been silent all this time, began to cry at seeing her mum upset. Sam looked up at her. "Phil will you do me a favour?" She asked.

Phil nodded. "Of course I will, what is it?"

"Call Abi, her number's on the fridge, ask her if she can come down here for a while, to take care of Chloe for me…"

Phil nodded, "No problem!" He said.

"Thank you!" She whispered. She turned to Jack. "Can I hold her?" She said. "Please?"

DCI Meadows checked his watch before nodding. "Five minutes!" He said, handing her over.

Sam buried her face in Chloe's hair, breathing in the familiar smell of strawberry shampoo. "Mummy has to go away for a bit, okay darling?" She said. Her daughter nodded. "Your big sister's coming home for a bit to look after you, I expect you to be on your best behaviour for her, okay!" Another nod. "I love you baby…" She whispered. "I love you so much!"

"I love you too mummy" Chloe said tearfully.

Jack put a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Okay, Sam," he said gently. "That's it… It's time to go!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks to everyone who's reveiwed this fic so far. This chapter's for all of you guys. Hope you like. Plz read and review.**

**Luffz you all**

**xXx Leanne xXx**

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**Chapter Seven**

Sam closed her eyes, the exhaustion of the day finally getting to her. When she opened them, she found Phil standing there. She sat up, "hi," she said faintly.

Phil came into the cell and pulled her to her feet. He wrapped her in a tight hug. "Hi sweetheart, I'm going to get you out of here, I promise!" He said quietly. They pulled apart and he kissed her tenderly on the lips.

"Have you called Abi?" Sam asked anxiously, breaking the physical contact between them.

Phil nodded. "There's a small problem though, in that Abi's sitting her mid term assessments and she won't be able to make it down here for another three days at least!" He said.

Sam heaved a sigh, "Oh, I forgot about her exam!" She said. "Chloe will have to go into a care home until she gets here. Who's with her at the moment?" She asked.

"PC Hinckley!" He said.

"How is she?"

Phil smiled, "She's okay," he reassured her. "She was a bit upset at first, but she soon cheered up when Emma gave her a chocolate muffin."

A wan smile flitted across her face, and then faded. "Can you call the social worker, arrange to have her picked up?" She asked.

Phil hesitated before starting to speak. "Sam I don't know if it's what you'd want, but I can look after Chloe until Abi gets here…?" He finished.

"Are you sure?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I mean Chloe knows me, It's got to be better than being with strangers…" He explained. "So what do you think?"

She hugged him, her eyes filling with tears again. "It's a perfect solution, if you honestly don't mind." She said.

"Of course I don't…" Phil told her. "I'd do anything for you, you know I would."

He moved to kiss her again, but thought better of it, as Terry poked his head around the cell. "Sarge, MIT are here! They're ready to see you now Sam, I've been told to take you down there!"

Sam nodded and stood up. "Okay!" She said nervously.

Phil looked at Terry, "You couldn't just give us a minute, could you mate?" He asked.

Terry nodded, "Sure, I'll wait outside!" He walked out of the cell and started pacing up and down the corridor.

Phil took Sam's lily-white hands in his own. "Just tell them what you told me," He said. "And remember, you didn't do anything wrong. Your only crime was wanting to protect yourself and your daughter so badly, that you had to resort to desperate measures!" He finished, and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips and a hug. "Good Luck Sam!"

"Interview with Samantha Nixon, commencing 21:03 pm. Present are Samantha Nixon, Melanie Jacques – her solicitor, DI Shelton, and myself, DCI Morrell." She said for the tape. "Right Samantha, can you tell us, in your own words, what happened at your house this evening, from when you went home to when you were arrested at 19:22pm for the murder of your husband?"

Sam glanced at Melanie, who gave her an encouraging smile before she began to speak. "I went home after work, Stuart was already there…I…I needed to talk to him…"

"What about?" DI Shelton asked.

"I told him that I wanted a divorce, that it was over!" She answered.

"Okay, how did he take the news?" DCI Morrell questioned.

"He was angry, we rowed… then I asked him to leave!" Sam recounted.

"What was the row about?"

Sam shrugged, "About who would get custody of our daughter…" She replied.

"Chloe?" DCI Morrell confirmed. Sam nodded. "So where was Chloe when all this was happening?"

"Upstairs… watching a DVD I think… I didn't want her to see us fighting!" She said by way of explanation.

"Then what happened?" DI Shelton jumped in again.

"Stuart refused to leave, so I said me and Chloe would go instead… I went upstairs to pack up some of our things, and when we came downstairs, I turned to unlock the door, Stuart was just standing there with a knife!"

"We?"

Sam nodded. "Me and Chloe!" She answered.

"What did you do next?"

"I sent Chloe back upstairs, I wasn't about to put her in any danger…" She said.

"Would Stuart really have harmed Chloe do you think?"

Sam shrugged, "I don't know, but I wasn't about to take any chances…like I said he was angry… and drunk, who knows what he'd have done?"

"Okay," DCI Morrell said writing something down on a notepad. "Did Stuart say anything at this point?"

"Yes, he said… he said…" She broke off, looking at the table.

"Take your time!" The DCI said.

Sam took a sip from her glass of water, "he said that if he couldn't have me, then he was going to make sure that no-one else could either…anyway… I tried to talk him out of it…"

"Did it work?"

She shook her head. "No, I just made him worse…he told me to shut up, and he…he grabbed me, and put the knife to my throat…"

"What did you do?"

"There wasn't anything I could do!" Sam replied, suppressing a yawn.

"Didn't you scream… cry out for help?" DI Shelton asked.

"I couldn't…he had his hand across my mouth…we struggled."

"Was that when you sustained the injury to your arm?"

Sam shook her head. "No!" She said. "No it wasn't, he let go of me and we sat down to talk… I thought I could persuade him to let us leave… except that it didn't quite work out like that!" She finished.

"What went wrong?"

She shrugged, "I don't know… one minute we were having a civilized adult discussion and the next he'd gone off on one again…he came towards me with the knife…"

"You must have been scared?"

"I was terrified," Sam told them. "I really thought I was going to die!"

"What did you do next?" DCI Morrell asked, passing her a box of tissues.

"When I saw him advancing towards me with the knife I…" She swallowed, fighting back tears. "I panicked… I grabbed the nearest thing I could find, and… and…" Tears started streaming down her cheeks. "I hit him!" She whispered finally. "He fell to the floor and…" Sam began to tremble as sobs shook her body.

DI Shelton exchanged a glance with his superior, who nodded and said. "Okay, that'll do for now! Interview suspended at 21:47pm!"

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**And if you want Sam to be found innocent you should review... lol... it's the purple button (hint, hint)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you to every person who's reviewed the last chapter... i was amazed at the amount of people who did... so thanks... This chapter's for you guys. Hope you like. Plz R&R as always.**

**Luv yu all loadz **

**xXx Leanne xXX**

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**Chapter Eight**

Phil pulled up in a parking space outside Sun Hill. He checked his watch and sighed. He was 25 minutes late for his shift… the DCI wouldn't be happy about that… that was the 3rd time that week.

He turned and briskly walked into the station. "Nice of you to join us!" Said Jack's voice from behind him.

Phil spun round. "Guv!" He said.

"That's the third time this week," He stated.

Phil nodded. "I know Guv, you see…" His voice trailed off.

"I don't want to hear excuses!" Jack said sternly. "Just don't let it happen again… now you're hear you can go and wake Sam up!"

"Sam, are you awake?" Phil knocked gently on the cell door, not wanting to disturb her after the traumatic experiences of the day before. He opened the little window in the cell door and peered through the tiny space. He smiled, watching her as she slept on. He unlocked the door and stepped inside. Sitting down on the edge of her 'bed' he shook her gently. "Sam, it's time to get up!"

Sam's eyes fluttered open involuntary, and she rolled over onto her side. "I don't feel too good!" She moaned, before vomiting everywhere and sliding to the floor, unconcious.

"Sam!" Phil said urgently, kneeling down beside her limp body, his trousers were getting covered with sick but he didn't care. His only concerns lay with the woman he loved. "Sam, can you hear me?"

Mickey, who was walking past, stuck his head round the door. "Everything okay sarge?" He asked, before noticing Sam. He took one look at Phil's face, and grabbed his mobile. "I'll call an ambulance!" He said quickly.

Ten minutes later an ambulance pulled up outside the station and two paramedics rushed into the front office. Mickey, who was waiting for them, led them to Sam's cell. DCI Meadows chose that moment to walk out of CID, and on seeing the paramedics bearing a stretcher, hurried down the stairs to find out what was going on. "Phil!" He called. "Phil, what's happened?"

"It's Sam!" an unusually pale Phil answered shakily, "she just collapsed… there was nothing I could do!"

"I suppose you want to go with her to the hospital?" Jack said.

"Can I Guv? I just want to make sure she's all right! I'll make up any extra time at the end of my shift!" Phil said.

The DCI smiled faintly. "There's no need for that," he said. "Just go! Let me know how she is though!" He finished.

"Thanks Guv!" Phil turned and walked beside the stretcher outside into the yard. Getting into the back of the ambulance, he took one of Sam's delicate hands in his. She was freezing. One of the paramedics put an oxygen mask over her face and suddenly she began to cough. She pulled the mask off. "Phil?" She choked out.

Phil squeezed her hand tightly; relieved she'd come round. "I'm here!" He said, "You're going to be okay baby!" He reassured her. She tried to sit up and he pushed her back down. "Don't try to sit up just yet!"

"What happened?" Sam asked groggily.

"You collapsed!" He said. "And puked all over my shirt!"

"Sorry!" She said faintly. "I'll buy you a new one!"

Phil shook his head. "It doesn't matter, all that matters is getting you to hospital…you can promise me one thing though?"

"Anything!"

"Promise me that you'll never scare me like that again!"

"I promise!" She said, "Phil I…" She was about to say something else but was cut short by the ambulance pulling up outside the hospital. Sam was wheeled in on the stretcher for a thorough examination, and Phil was directed to one of the waiting rooms.

In the examination room, Sam's mind was racing. Why had she fainted? What was wrong with her? All sorts of illnesses were running through her head, the worst one of them all being cancer? Surely that couldn't be it…Feeling panicky she took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down… Gina had had the disease and she'd recovered, 'but then again' Sam thought to herself, 'Gina's a strong woman… she could deal with it… I wouldn't be able to cope…what would Chloe do?'

"Samantha!" The doctor said, breaking her out of her morbid thoughts.

Sam jumped. "Oh sorry!" She apologised. "I was miles away! Do you know what's wrong with me?"

The doctor nodded. "Yeah we've got a pretty good idea!" He said. "How much have you eaten in the last couple of days?"

Sam shrugged. "I had a plate of chips and a yogurt yesterday for lunch…that's it!" She said. "Why?"

"As you know, we ran some tests, and it's quite possible that you fainted from lack of food!" He began. "But it's not because you needed it!"

"Huh?" Sam was confused.

"It's because your baby needed it!" He said. "Samantha you're pregnant!"

Sam let out the breath she was holding in. "Is that all?" She said.

The doctor laughed, "What do you mean, is that all? I've just told you you're having a baby and that's all you can say."

She nodded. "I know… I thought you were going to tell me I had cancer and that I was dying or something…"

"Heavens no!" He exclaimed. "But I do want to talk to you about your diet. What you did yesterday was stupid; even though you didn't know you were pregnant… you still needed to eat… for yourself."

"I know…" She admitted. "But things are really difficult at the moment…"

"That's another thing, stress isn't good for your baby… you need to stop worrying!"

'Oh sure,' Sam thought to herself. 'I'm only up on a murder charge… yeah I can relax." But she didn't say any of that. What she did say was: "I know…"

"Your friend is outside," The doctor said, "do you want to see him?"

Sam nodded, "Yeah but can you not say anything about the baby?" She said.

The doctor nodded. "Of course I won't say anything… doctor/patient confidentiality and all that…" He reminded her.

"Okay thanks!"

Phil had been sitting in the hospital waiting room for what seemed like an eternity. After about half hour Sam's consultant came out of the room and walked over to him. "Our examination's finished, you can see her now if you like!" He said.

DS Hunter got to his feet quickly. "Is she okay?" He said.

"You can see for yourself…she's in there!" The doctor pointed to a room.

"Okay thanks!" He said, walking over to the room and pushing open the door. Sam sat up when the door opened. "Hey babe!" He said.

She smiled, making room for him to sit on the bed. "Hi!"

He sat down. "How are you feeling?" He asked concerned.

"I've been better!" She said slipping her hand in his.

"Do you know why you fainted?"

She nodded, debating whether or not to tell him about the baby. "Yeah I do!"

"Well?" Phil asked worriedly. "Are you sick?"

"No, it's nothing like that!" She reassured him. "The doctor thinks it's just because I didn't have a lot to eat yesterday." Well it was half true…

"Oh…" Phil breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God for that…I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you…"

Sam kissed him on the cheek and squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Don't worry about me…" She said quietly.

"That's my job!" He interrupted wrapping an arm around her. "I love you so so much and don't you ever forget it." He said.

Her eyes filled with tears and she hugged him tightly. "Oh Phil…" She whispered. "I love you so so much!"

"I love you too!" He replied. Suddenly, his phone began to ring. Frowning he pulled it out and looked at the caller ID. He looked at her apologetically. "I've got to take this!" He said. "I'll be back in a minute!"

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**And you know what to do if you want her to be found innocent... lol... i love reviews (hint hint)**

**xxxx**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you to:- thebillnut, zoe, Rose Tyler611, Sarah, Vikki, Amy, Laura, Ellyce, Gemz, Strizzy, Emz25, PrettyPunk and Dannii for reviewing.**

**This chapter's for all you guys. Sorry this chapter's a little on the short side but I've been incredibly busy this week – exam revision and coursework, along with writers block… so not good…**

**I've decided this fic's going to be about thirteen chapters long and then I'm going to post up a sequel – which I've already started to write… Anyway I hope you like the chapter. Please read and review as always! Chapter Ten will be up shortly…  
**

**Luv you all loadz  
**

**xXx Leanne xXx**

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**Chapter Nine**

A few days passed without any more drama; Sam was interviewed again and transferred to Stonewall, women's prison until the inquest.

On the morning of the inquest, the wing governer opened the cell door and brought Sam's breakfast. "Hurry up and eat it!" She said briskly. "DS Hunter's waiting to escort you to the coroner's office." Sam nodded, anxiously, wanting to get the day over as quickly as she could.

After breakfast, Sam was lead out into the main area of the prison where she saw Phil standing there. She gave him a brief smile as she was checked out and didn't speak to him until they were in the car. And even then she didn't say much… "You okay?" Phil asked.

She nodded. "Yeah," she replied. "I'm fine!"

He shook his head. "You always were a terrible liar!" He told her. "Let's rephrase it… how do you really feel?"

Sam shrugged. "Nervous…scared…" She answered. "It's just a lot to take in, you know?" Phil nodded. "I mean 3 days ago, I had it all, my family… you…" She paused. "What if it's an unlawful killing verdict? I'll be up on a murder charge… what if I'm found guilty? What if…" She voiced her inner fears.

"What if none of those things happen?" Phil said calmly, placing his hand on top of her trembling one. "There's no point in trying to second guess the DPS." He finished.

Sam ignored him. "What if they send me to prison?" She continued. "I'll probably be nearly 70 when… if… I get out!"

"Sam you have to calm down!" He said seriously. "I mean it… just remember… this is not a trial. It's simply to work out how Stuart died…"

Phil's words did nothing to compose her, if anything she seemed to become more anxious. "We know how he died Phil, I hit him over the head…"

"It was self defence…" Phil continued, slightly frustrated. "You did what you had to." He pulled into a parking space. "None of this is your fault Sam! There was nothing you could have done!" He smiled reassuringly at her.

They got out of the car and walked towards the front entrance. Sam's legs felt like jelly. She took a deep breath. "I think I'm going to faint…" She said. "Or be sick… or both… Phil I can't do this."

He turned to face her. "Yes you can!" He said seriously. "Just go in there and answer their questions… everything is going to be okay!" He hugged her tightly.

She pulled away, leaned up and kissed him softly. "I love you so so much Phil Hunter!" She whispered breathily.

He brushed a strand of hair back from her face. "I love you too. You mean the world to me… you always have done and you always will do. And whatever happens, we'll get through it together, okay?" Sam nodded mutely, overcome with emotion. She buried her head in his suit. He wrapped his arms around her and held her while she cried. When she lifted her head, he looked into her watery eyes, "You ready for this?" He asked gently.

She nodded. "Lets get it over with!" She said grimly, thinking that going ten rounds with Mike Tyson would be preferable to this.

He squeezed her hand. "Come on, let's go in!"

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**And i think you all know what to do by now... ;) It's the purple button...**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you so much to everyone for reviewing. This chapter's for you guys. Only three more (planned) chapters to this fic, and then it's on to the sequel. Woop.**

**Hope you like this chapter. Plz R & R.**

**Luv yaz**

**xXx Leanne xXx**

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**Chapter Ten**

"I can't believe it…an unlawful death verdict!" Phil said hotly. "Stuart deserved it anyway!" He finished.

"I understand that you're angry!" DCI Meadows told him. He'd gone to the coroner's office to show his support to Sam. "But you can't go round saying things like that…"

"What are they playing at?" Phil continued, not listening to what Jack said. "Anyone who knows Sam should know that she's not a cold-blooded killer."

Jack put a hand on his arm. "Phil calm down…this isn't helping anyone… Sam needs you to be strong, for her…" He said gently. "They're just doing their job…getting to the truth, just like we…and MIT are trying to do!"

"What now?" Phil asked in an undertone, as people began milling out of the coroner's office.

"I'll be on trial for his murder!" Sam said quietly coming up behind them.

They spun round. "Sam!" Phil started, pulling her towards him and wrapping her in a hug. "You don't know that!"

She shook her head, pulling away from him. "Oh come on!" She said. "I've been in this job long enough to know how it works…you know as well as I do that I'm going down… that they're going to throw the book at me…" She said.

Jack was about to reply when a voice behind them stopped him in his tracks. "Mum!" Abigail Nixon called loudly.

Sam whirled round. "Abi!" She replied, running over to her and hugging her daughter tightly. "You're home!"

Abi smiled and broke out of the hug. "Yeah, I'm sorry I couldn't come when I got Phil's call."

Sam shook her head. "It doesn't matter!" She said. "I know you had your exams… I didn't expect you to just drop everything and come running…how are you? You said you had a new boyfriend?"

Her daughter nodded. "Yeah, his name's Luke, you'd like him…" She told her… "But anyway I think I should be the one asking that question." She finished anxiously, looking her up and down.

"I'm fine…" Sam said. Abigail looked at her sceptically. "Well, not fine obviously but things are okay. "

Abi exchanged a glance with Phil but said nothing more. "So how's Chloe doing?" She asked changing the subject.

Sam smiled. "Ask Phil! She's been staying with him for the past few days."

"She's fine!" He broke in. "She's been a little angel… most of the time…sometimes she wakes up in the middle of the night asking where 'mummy' is though!"

Sam's eyes filled with tears and she turned away so no one would see her cry. Abi wrapped her arms around her again and hugged her. "It's okay to be upset mum!" She said quietly,

Sam shook her head, eliminating all traces of tears from her voice before starting to speak. "It's okay…" She said. "I'm fine!"

"Mum…"

"I said I'm fine!" Sam said more sharply than she'd intended.

Abi looked hurt and pulled out of Sam's grasp. "Okay then…whatever you say!" She said coolly. She turned to Phil. "Can I pick up Chloe now!"

Phil nodded, picking up on the tension between mother and daughter. "Yeah! We can pick her up from school and grab her stuff from mine on the way back..."

"I'll escort Sam back to Stonewall!" Jack interrupted.

"Come on then!" Abi said. "What are we waiting for?"

"They turned to leave. "Abi?" Sam said quietly.

She turned back to face her mum. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to snap." She finished.

Abi shrugged indifferently. "It's fine!" She said. "I understand."

"Come on Sam!" Jack said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "It's time we were going!"

Sam shot one last apologetic look at Abi, said: "Tell Chloe I love her" and got into the DCI's car.

Phil and Abi watched them drive away. Abi's eyes misted over with tears. "Are you okay?" He asked concerned.

She nodded, wiping her eyes with one hand. "Yeah I'm fine!" She answered. Phil opened the car door for her. "Thanks!" She smiled briefly at him, before getting in. There was an awkward silence. "So how's my mum really coping?" Abi asked finally.

Phil turned to her. "She's finding it a lot harder than she let on back then!" He said. "But I expect you knew that."

Abi nodded. "Yeah…" She answered. "I know she's just putting on a front, but she doesn't have to… not with me, I'm 19…not 9…"

"Maybe it's easier for her this way!" Phil. "You of all people know that she's not very good with all the emotional stuff."

Abi nodded. "I know…" She said. "So…what happens now?"

"Well we've just had an unlawful death verdict…"

"What does that mean?" Abi questioned.

"Well…" Phil paused; unsure whether to tell her what Sam could be looking at.

Abi sensed his hesitance. "It's okay, you can tell me!" She said, "I can take it!"

"Okay, so basically Sam's facing a murder charge and because of the severity of the 'crime' she'll be remanded in custody at Stonewall until the trial." He explained.

"But that's not fair!" Abigail exclaimed. "Stuart was going to attack her… what was she supposed to do? Sit there and let it happen?" She finished heatedly.

Phil put a hand on her arm. "I know!" He said. "But that's the law for you…"

"What if she gets found guilty?" Abi probed further. "How long will she get?"

Phil shrugged. "It depends, but the court don't look upon 'murderers' very favourably." He said.

"My mum's not a murderer!" Abi said, glaring at him. "It was self defence"

"I know that, and you know that but it's the courts we have to convince!" He said patiently.

Abi looked down. "Sorry!" She said quietly. "It's just hard you know!" She tried to explain. "Watching all this happen and knowing I can't do a thing about it!"

"It's okay, I understand." Phil said. "You know where I am if you ever need to talk right?"

Sam's daughter nodded. "Thanks Phil!" She smiled gratefully. "You know, I think I can kinda see what my mum sees in you!" She said lightly.

Phil laughed. "Well thanks…" He said. "So does she talk about me then?"

Abi laughed. "All the time…never shuts up, it's Phil this, and Phil that." She smiled. "Even when she was married to Stuart!" Phil smiled. "So…" she said, turning the subject back to her mum's case. "you never answered my question… what's she looking at?"

"Honestly?"

"Of course!" Abi answered.

Phil turned away from her and looked out of the window. "Probably life imprisonment!" He answered. Abi had known that one was coming but it was still a shock to the system hearing it from someone else. She didn't say anything… she couldn't. "Are you okay?" Phil asked her. She nodded mutely. "You know, life doesn't always mean life these days?" He said trying to lift her spirits, and his own. "She'll probably be out in 20 years!" His voice trembled slightly at the prospect of spending twenty years of his life without the woman he loved.

"And in the meantime?" Abi said, finding her voice. "Chloe will be nearly 30 when she gets out. Mum's going to miss the best years of her life…and what are we going to tell her?"

Phil didn't answer. "There's always an appeal!" He said, "if worst comes to worst."

"You think she's going to be found guilty, don't you?" Abi said slowly.

Phil closed his eyes momentarily before answering. "Yeah!" He said finally. "I do!

* * *

**Press the button... lol. xxxx**


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks to...everyone who reviewed. This chapter's for you. 2 more to go after this, before i start posting the sequel. Hope you like. Please R&R.**

**xXx Leanne xXx**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

"Abi!" Chloe shouted, loudly running at her sister.

Abi's face broke into a grin. She held out her arms and Chloe threw herself at her sister. Abigail picked her up and twirled her round. "How's my baby sister then!"

Chloe pouted. "I'm not a baby anymore." She said sulkily.

Abi fought back the urge to laugh. "No you're quite right, you're a big girl now!" She told her. "So did you miss me then?"

Chloe buried her face in her sister's shirt. "Yeah, I missed you loads!" She said in a lisping voice. Abi smiled, Chloe could be adorable when she wanted to, but there were times when she annoyed the hell out of her. "Mummy's not here…" She said, her bottom lip trembling. "I miss her…" Chloe started to cry.

"Ssshhh…it's going to be okay sweetie, I know you miss her, I do too, but she'll be home soon and until then, I'll look after you…" Abi said quietly, wishing that there were someone there to comfort her, and tell her that everything was going to be okay. "Come on!" She said, putting her down and taking hold of her hand. "We're going to pick up your stuff from 'Uncle Phil's' and then we're going to rent a movie and make popcorn…" She said. "Sound like fun?"

Chloe nodded. "You bet!" She answered. "I love it when you come home!"

Abi smiled down at her fondly. She ruffled her curls. "Come on!" She said.

"Go upstairs and get your stuff together!" Abi told Chloe when they arrived at Phil's. "And if you're quick you can choose the DVD!"

Chloe did so, turning and running up the stairs and Phil turned to Abi. "You're really good with her you know?" He told her.

"Thanks!" She answered. A smile crossed her face.

"You look so much like your mother when you smile," Phil remarked.

Abi blushed, she didn't know how to reply to this. "I'll just go and check on Chloe!" She said.

"Ok, while you do that, I'll put the kettle on!" He said. "Chloe's in the spare room, third door on the left." He walked into the kitchen.

Abigail followed his directions and walked up the stairs. She pushed open Chloe's bedroom door to find her little sister sitting in the middle of the floor sobbing. Concerned, Abi ran over to her and knelt down so she was level with her. "Hey…" She said quietly. "What's the matter baby?"

Chloe's tiny frame shook as she sobbed out her answer. "I want my Mummy… and Daddy…I wanna go home…"

Abi looked up and exchanged a glance with Phil, who'd appeared in the doorway, and heard everything.

"Listen…" Abi began nervously. "The thing is…the thing is…" She paused, looking at Phil, silently asking him for help.

He came further into the room and knelt down beside them. "There's something your sister and I need to tell you…" He started. "We need you to be a big brave girl okay?"

Chloe nodded, sniffling. Abi took a deep breath. How did you explain to a six year old that her 'daddy' was dead, and that her 'mummy' was on trial for his murder? She reached out and took Chloe's hand. "Daddy's not coming home!" She told her softly. "I'm sorry Chloe but Daddy's dead…" She broke off, choking on her words, as a tear ran down her cheek. She hadn't particularly liked Stuart – she'd tolerated him only for her mum's and her sister's sake. She was crying because she hated seeing her 'baby' sister sad. Chloe wasn't very old but even at her young age, she understood what the term 'dead' meant.

Chloe burst into fresh tears and buried her head in Abi's blouse. She looked helplessly at Phil, as her sister cried. "I want to see mummy!" Chloe whimpered after a few minutes.

"Would that be allowed?" Abi said to Phil.

He nodded. "I don't see why not!" He answered. "I'll talk to the prison wardens and my DCI and see what we can do!"

Abi smiled briefly. "Thanks!" She said. "It would mean a lot to us!"

* * *

The next day Phil went to see Sam in prison to update her on the case. "Have they found any new evidence?" She asked. 

Phil shook his head. "I'm afraid not!" He answered. Sam looked down at the table. He reached across and gripped one of her hands tightly. "That doesn't mean we've given up though…" He said. "We'll keep trying… you don't deserve this… none of us believe you're guilty…" He said, repeating the snatches of conversation he'd heard exchanged between their Sun Hill colleagues.

Sam tried to smile, but failed. "Thanks…" She said. "This is the hardest thing I've ever been through…" She continued. "I don't know if I can get through this…"

Phil ran one hand gently down her face. "Hey…" he said quietly, interrupting her. "Where is this coming from? This isn't the Samantha Nixon, everyone knows… She'd be prepared to go to any lengths to get the right result…come on Sam… this isn't justice…you have to fight this!"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry Phil, but it looks to me if the fight's already over…" She said. "Which is why I'm going to change my plea to guilty!"

"YOU'RE WHAT?" Phil said loudly, getting up from the table and making her jump. "You can't…" He said… "You'll get banged up in here for life…what about your job?"

She shrugged. "So what?" She said. "I couldn't go back there after this anyway… it'll be on file for the rest of my life…"

"And it'd also say you were found innocent!" Phil countered.

"Yeah and there'd always be a few people who'd wonder what really happened. "I can't live like that…" She replied stubbornly.

Phil shook his head. He couldn't believe what he was hearing here… "Are you insane?" He said.

"No, just not living in fantasy land as you seem to be!" She retorted angrily. "You know as well as I do, that the chances of me being found innocent are positively zero. At least this way I'll know where I stand!"

"No!" Phil said. "No way! I'm sorry Sam, but I won't let you do this. I can't stand by and watch you throw your life away…it's crazy and I think you know it…"

Sam looked at the table. In her heart she knew he was right but she couldn't admit that. "I've made my decision." She said in a wobbly voice.

"That's all very well Sam but what about your daughters?"

"Abi's old enough to look after herself…" She said.

"I'm not talking about Abi, what about Chloe?" He said, making his point.

"Don't…" Sam began. She started to cry.

"I'm sorry Sam, but this is for your own good!" He said. "Your daughter needs you!"

* * *

**So there we have it... LOL... hope you liked. You know you want to review (at least i hope you do) xxx**


	12. Chapter 12

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed. This chapter's for you guys. And now me thinks that there's going to be 15 chapters instead of 13 so the sequel might not be up for a while. Hope you like this chapter. Plz R & R as always.**

**Luv Leanne **

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

It had taken some doing but Phil had finally managed to convince Sam not to change her plea. He'd spoken to the DCI and Sam's wing governer and they'd agreed to let Abi and Chloe visit Sam on a special dispensation. "I'll be back at eleven!" Phil said, after giving Abi and Chloe a lift to Stonewall.

Abigail nodded. "Thanks for the lift!" She said. "What do you say to 'Uncle Phil' Chloe?" She looked down at her sister fondly.

"Thank you Phil!" Piped up her sisters little voice.

Phil smiled. "Anytime," he said. "I'll see you later." He walked back over to his car, got in and drove off.

Abi took Chloe's hand in hers; they walked over to the prison gates and waited to be buzzed in. When they got inside they were searched and taken to the visiting unit. After about five minutes Sam was brought out and Abi could do nothing to stop Chloe throwing herself at her mum. "Mummy!" She shrieked, almost deafening anyone in the vicinity.

"Hey baby!" Sam said, wrapping her youngest daughter in a hug. Chloe buried her head in her mum's shirt. "Why did you bring her?" Sam said to Abi quietly. "I told Phil I didn't want her to see me in this place…" She finished.

Abigail shot Sam a look, ignoring her question. "How are you mum?" She said.

Sam shrugged. "I'm coping…" She said. "Listen Abi, about the other day..."

Her daughter knew that she was about to apologise and suddenly found she didn't need to hear it. "Mum, it's okay, I understand..." Abi assured her.

Sam smiled. "No it's not okay... I shouldn't have snapped...it was just the stress of the inquest..."

Abi's smile faded. "So what happens now?"

"My trial starts on Monday!" Sam said flatly.

Chloe lifted her head off Sam's shoulder and chose that moment to speak. "When are you coming home mummy? I miss you." She said, tears filling her blue eyes once more.

Sam's own eyes misted over. "I don't know baby... soon I hope... I miss you too..."

Abi put a hand on her mum's arm. "Mum, if this is too hard for you, just say and we'll go..." She said, not wanting Chloe to see her mum crying.

Sam shook her head. "No, it's fine, I'm okay…" She said.

"Phil said he'll be in to see you later today," Abi said recalling something he'd said to her in the car and trying to cheer Sam up. "He's really worried about you, we all are!" Sam managed a brief smile. "So how long does the trial last?"

The blonde shrugged. "I don't know," she said. "It all depends on how long it takes to get through all the evidence..." She broke off... "I reckon it'll be about two or three days..." She finished.

"What if they find you guilty mum?" Abi said, outspoken as ever. "What then?"

Sam looked at the table. "I don't know..." She answered.

"Haven't you thought about it?" Abi probed curiously.

"Well yeah, a little bit but i've been channeling most of my time and energy into helping my lawyer put together my case!"

"What does she think your chances are?"

"She reckons it could go either way, it depends on what I say… what Phil and Terry have to say… we think Stuart's mum's got something up her sleeve as well…"

"What can she do? She wasn't there when he tried to kill you… that don't prove a thing…"

"No but she can testify that her son isn't a violent man…" Sam said bitterly. "In the end it's all down to the jury… what they believe…"

Abi was about to say something else when an officer walked over to them. "Excuse me Miss, time's up…" He said.

Abi nodded, and she and Sam – still clutching Chloe – stood up. "Come on Chloe!" She said to her sister. "It's time to go now!" She knew her little sister wouldn't react well to those words and sure enough she was proved right.

Chloe clung tighter to Sam and started sobbing again. "No," she said obstinately. "I want to stay with mummy!"

Abi exchanged a glance with Sam, thinking that she might possibly have been right about not taking Chloe to see her. Sam tried to prise Chloe's fingers from her shirt. "Come on baby, do as your sister says… it's time to go home…"

Chloe looked up at her mum through those big blue eyes. "Can I come and see you again soon?" She asked turning on the waterworks for the third time since their visit.

Sam nodded, "of course you can darling!" She said, handing her to Abi. "I'll see you soon, I love you!" She said, feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes.

"I love you too mummy!" Chloe said.

Abi put her down on the floor while she gave her mum a hug. "I'll see you Monday in court…" She paused. "Good Luck Mum!"

Sam hugged Abi tightly before straightening up and pulling away. "You should go!" She said, jerking her head towards the prison warden who was waiting to escort them from the premises.

* * *

The next day, Sam woke up, feeling sick. She leaned over the side of her bed and vomited repeatedly into a bowl. Great! It looked like the morning sickness was kicking in. So far she'd managed to keep her news quiet and no one had guessed, although Phil had touched on the subject briefly before. "You okay?" Said a voice behind her.

Sam jumped, and spun round. "Phil?" She said… "How long have you been standing there?" She asked.

"Long enough to hear you throwing up the entire content of your stomach…" He said. "I thought the doctor at the hospital said you were fine."

"I…I am…" Sam said nervously, absentmindedly resting a hand on her stomach, which didn't go unnoticed by Phil. "I promise." She finished trying to reassure him.

"Then why were you just being sick?" Phil asked her, not convinced. "You're not pregnant are you?"

There was an awkward pause. "For God's sake…" Sam exploded. "What is this? 20 questions!"

Phil looked slightly hurt at this. "I'm only asking because I'm worried about you."

Sam looked at the floor. "I know," she said. "I'm sorry for shouting at you…"

Phil shook his head. "Forget it, it really doesn't matter."

Sam closed the distance between them and hugged him tightly. "You never said what you were doing here!" She said.

"I just came to see how you were feeling about tomorrow…" He paused. "And there's something I need to tell you, something which I don't think you're going to like…" He pulled the door closed.


	13. Chapter 13

**Okay, so thank you to all my ever faithful reviewers. lol... Two more chapters to come after this... and then it's on to the sequel. So anyway hope you like the chapter. Plz read and review as ever. **

**Love yu**

**xXx Leanne xXx**

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

"No way, absolutely no way!" Sam said stubbornly getting up from her bed and leaning against the wall.

"Sam…" He began hesitantly. "You know it's always better to put a child with family, rather than strangers."

Sam shook her head. "I don't care!" She said. "There's not a way in the world, I'll let Stuart's mother look after my daughter."

Phil sighed. "What'll happen to Chloe then?"

She glared at him. "You talk as if I've already been found guilty!" She said.

Phil looked downcast. "No offence Sam, but I think your fate was probably decided the day you smashed your husband over the head and killed him."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence!" Sam said coolly. "It was self defence… I thought you believed that!"

"I do," Phil said. "But I'm just saying," he broke off. "Come on Sam, you know what the jury are like!"

Sam walked over to the door and opened it. "I'd like you to go…" She said.

"Sam can't we just talk about this…"

"Well what is there left to say?" Sam asked. "You've said everything I needed to hear, that's it."

"What about us?" Phil said, desperately. He loved Sam and he didn't want to lose her… not after everything she was going through to be with him.

She shrugged. "I don't know, is there even an 'us' anymore?" She said quietly not looking at him.

"Of course there is!" Phil said.

"Well I'm not so sure!" She said. "I think we should take a break."

Phil didn't say anything for a few moments. "If that's what you want!" He said.

She nodded, tearfully. "I… I do…" She stammered.

He nodded. "Fine!" He walked over to her and kissed her on the cheek. "Good Luck Sam, I'll see you in court" He said before walking out, letting the door slam behind him. Sam collapsed on her bed in tears.

* * *

Phil drove out of Stonewall prison car park, tears rolling down his cheeks. He wasn't the type to cry over a woman usually but with Sam it was different. They'd been through so much together and it was ironic that something caused by Stuart had managed to split them up. As he drove home he pondered this failing to notice another car, just in front of him. He tried to pull back, lost control of the car, spun off the road and into a parked lorry…the impact of the crash, causing him to drift off into unconsciousness.

* * *

A couple hours later, news of Phil's accident had reached Sun Hill station and now Jack was going to break the bad news to Sam. He knocked on her cell door. She pulled it open. "Guv!" She said, forgetting where she was. "What are you doing here?" 

Jack came inside the cell, and Sam offered him a seat, before lying back down on her bed. "Thanks!" He said. "Sam, I've got some bad news…its Phil!"

She sat up abruptly. "What's happened? He's all right isn't he?" She said. No matter how much she pretended that them splitting up was for the best, it didn't mean that she didn't still have feelings for him.

"He's been in a car accident!" Jack said gently. "They've taken him to St Hughes."

Sam's face turned white. "He's going to be okay isn't he?" Jack didn't answer. "Jack…"

DCI Meadows shook his head. "We don't know…" He said. "He's bleeding internally and the next few hours are critical."

Sam closed her eyes and when she opened them, she was fighting back tears. "Can I go and see him… please…?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, I've already cleared it with your wing governer."

Sam gave a wobbly smile. "Thanks!" She whispered.

Jack drove Sam to St Hughes, and led her to ICU where Phil had just come out of surgery. "I'll wait out here okay?"

Sam walked into the intensive care unit and sat down in a chair beside Phil's bed. For a moment she just sat there and looked at him. He was hooked up to numerous machines and looked at least five years older than he was. A tear ran down her cheek followed by another and then a river. Not bothering to wipe them away, she reached out and took his hand, squeezing it tightly. "I'm sorry!" She whispered. She leaned over and kissed his forehead. She didn't know if he could hear her but one of the hospital nurses had told her that he might be able to, and she wanted to say it anyway. "I love you so much…" She said raising her voice slightly, hoping for a sign that he was going to be okay. Frustrated she let go of his hand and buried her head in her hands. "God damn it Phil, wake up! I need you, don't you dare give up on me… I can't do it without you!" She finished, her voice thick with emotion.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to find Jack standing there. "Sam we've got to go! You've got an appointment with your brief in half hour; she wants to run through the events of the trial I think… obviously it'll have to be postponed until Phil recovers!"

"What if he doesn't make it?" She said, choking back sobs.

"Phil Hunter's not one to give up on life, especially when there are criminals to be caught!" He said. "He'll wake up soon and wonder what all the fuss is about, you'll see." He finished, more confidently than he felt.

"But what if he doesn't? I don't know what I'll do without him."

"He'll be fine!" Jack tried to reassure her. "Is there something I should know?"

"What do you mean?" Sam answered quickly, causing Jack to raise his eyebrows slightly.

"Well it's just that I'm a little bit surprised at how you're taking this…there was a time, a while back, when you couldn't stand the sight of the man…"

Sam looked at the floor. "Yeah well… times change…" She said. "He's changed!"

"Are you and him…?" Jack paused, not wanting to poke his nose in her business. "You know?" He said uncomfortably.

Normally Sam would have been offended at the intrusion into her private life but today none of that seemed to matter. She nodded. "Yeah we are! That's why I told Stuart I was leaving him…that's what we rowed about…"

"Oh right…" DCI Meadows said. "I suppose your brief knows all this…"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, I've told her everything…"

"What does she think your chances are?"

Sam shrugged. "That I've got a fighting chance. According to her I've got a strong defence but it all depends on what the prosecution barrister throws at us…we're meeting today so she can give me an idea of who's testifying."

"Well we'd better get going then!" Jack said gently.

* * *

**Later, back at the prison, ******

"So how you feeling then?" Sam's lawyer, Melanie Jacques asked.

She looked up at him. "Well I'm up in court on a murder charge soon, and the guy I killed my husband for is critically ill in hospital, how do you think I'm feeling?" She said, losing her temper.

"Okay, I'm sorry!" She said. "I know it's not easy for you, but you can't lose your temper like that with the prosecution barrister… imagine what they'd make of it."

"I know!" Sam said. There was a momentary silence before she spoke again. "So do we know exactly who is going to be testifying?"

Melanie nodded. "Yeah, we have a fair idea!" She began. "Obviously DS Hunter and DC Perkins are taking the stand for you…For the prosecution, Stuart's ex girlfriend, Laura Kenning…There's also a highly recommended doctor, been called in… Any more questions?"

"Yeah, how long do you reckon it'll take to get through all the evidence?"

The brief shrugged. "I don't know, probably about three days, I think we're hearing from Laura on the first day, then DC Perkins and DS Hunter on day two. I think you're taking the stand on day the third day. Then the medical expert will give his evidence in after you..." She explained.

"Then I guess it's all down to the jury for the verdict!" Sam said, putting her head in her hands, feeling like it was a lost cause.

* * *

**And if you review you get cookies... virtual ones that is ;)**


	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks to Vikki, Sarah, Laura, Strizzy, Amy, Ellyce, Gemz and Beccy for reviewing the previous chapter. One more chapter to go after this!!! Then it's onto the sequel...**

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**

A few weeks later, Phil was almost back to full health so the trial had been re-scheduled for the day after he'd been discharged from hospital. The evening before the trial, he went to see Sam in Longmarsh. Looking around the door to her cell, he saw her lying on the bed, flicking half-heartedly through a magazine. "Hey!" He said.

She looked up, and on seeing Phil, got up off the bed and wrapped her arms around him. "Phil…" She whispered. "I was so worried about you! Thank goodness you're okay!" She buried her face in his neck, overcome with emotion.

He held her tightly, while she cried and stroked her hair. "Hey," he whispered. "Please don't cry babe!"

Sam looked up. "Phil, about what happened…" She began hesitantly.

"It's okay," he said. "None of that matters, all that matters is you and me, and getting through the trial…" He tilted her head gently upwards. "I love you Sam, and I'll be with you no matter what the verdict!"

Sam sat down on the edge of her bed. "So how's us, you and me going to work when I'm banged up for life?" She said. "What are we going to do then?"

Phil shrugged. "The same as we always do, we'll manage!"

"You can see other women if you want, you know!" Sam said seriously. "It's not fair of me to expect you to waste your life waiting around for me…"

"But I don't want other women!" Phil said,

"Don't you?" Sam asked, relieved. This wasn't what she wanted to happen, but she knew she couldn't make Phil wait forever.

"No silly…" He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "I couldn't imagine being with anyone else since I started going out with you!"

* * *

The next morning, day 1 of the trial, Sam woke up at 5:30, feeling nervous; she leaned over the side of her bed and puked into a bowl. Great! The morning sickness was rearing its ugly head again. She hoped she was going to be okay in court. She'd spoken to her brief again after Phil had left, and she'd been reassured that the charge was likely to be self-defence. Sighing she pulled herself out of bed and started getting dressed. It was early but she knew she'd never be able to get back to sleep.

At 8:30, she was driven to the Old Bailey courtrooms. The trial wasn't due to start until 9:30, but she wanted to be there early enough to speak with Melanie and Phil.

In the courtroom Sam stood nervously in the dock, looking out into the gallery. Phil and Terry – who were testifying the next day, - were sitting there along with Abi, Stuart's mum and Nan, and some of her Sun Hill colleagues. The prosecution barrister began to speak. "There may be times when it is well within the law, perfectly justified to strike out in self defence in life or death situations. The court knows, and accepts this. Samantha Nixon knows this, but we submit, your honour, that this wasn't one of those times. That she wasn't in any immeadiate danger, and that by killing her husband and claiming self-defence, she is undermining and insulting the many women, who are real victims of abuse in a relationship." Sam looked at the floor of the box she was in. "We are here today to see justice done to Stuart Turner's memory and are setting out to prove to this court, that Samantha did unlawfully murder Stuart, on the evening of Monday 3rd February 2007,"

The judge nodded. "Okay, you may call your first witness Ms Nicholls!" He informed her.

"I call to the stand Laura Kenning!"

Laura stepped forward, and read the oath. "I swear by almighty God, that the evidence I shall give, shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!" She said quietly.

Victoria Nicholls looked across at her, "Please state your name for the record!" She said.

"Laura Elizabeth Jodie Kenning!" She said, in a trembling voice.

"And how old are you Ms Kenning?"

"I'm thirty-three!" Laura spoke quietly, rarely looking up from the witness stand, but when she did, looking directly at Ms Nicholls.

"Could you please tell the court, how you know the deceased, Stuart Turner?"

Laura cleared her throat and began to speak. "He was my boyfriend, we were together for four and a half years, from when I was 26 to when I was 30!" She said.

"Okay and in the time you were together, was he ever violent towards you?"

"No he wasn't!" She answered quickly.

"Did he ever threaten you with violence?"

She shook her head. "No he didn't!"

"So there was never a time when you felt in any physical danger?" Victoria pressed.

"No!"

Ms Nicholls nodded to the judge and sat down. Sam's brief, Melanie stood up. "Ms Kenning, can I ask what made you and Stuart split up?"

Victoria stood up again. "Objection!" She said, "I can't see how this is really relevant!"

Judge Saunders shook his head. "Objection overruled, will the witness please answer the question?"

"It just wasn't working anymore, we both wanted different things, I was ready to settle down and have children, he didn't want that – he was too career minded…" Laura explained.

"I see! So you never left him because he was abusive towards you!"

"No!" She said tightly. "No I just said why!"

"Okay and did you ever see him get violent with anyone else?"

"Well there was just the one time…"

"What happened?"

"It was my birthday, we went out for a meal and then on to the pub… anyway, I went up to the bar to get us drinks, and this guy, Mike, started flirting, he gave me his number… Stuart didn't like it…"

"What did he do?" Melanie pressed.

"He got angry, shouted at me, shouted at the guy, I tried to stop him, he shoved me out of out of the way, I fell to the floor and he hit Mike!" She shrugged. "That's it!"

"Miss Kenning, you said to the prosecution earlier, that he was never violent towards you, is that correct?"

Laura flushed bright pink, knowing that Melanie had backed her into a corner. "Yes…" She said quietly.

"Now you're contradicting yourself, Miss Kenning!" Miss Jacques said. "What you've just told the court sounds like violent behaviour to me!" She said. "Don't you think?"

"Okay, so he was once, but wouldn't you be, if the guy you were with started flirting with another woman?" She said trying to prove a point.

"A yes or no will suffice!"

Laura looked at the floor. "Yes!" She answered.

Melanie nodded. "No more questions for this witness!" She said triumphantly, making eye contact with Sam.

* * *

**And if you want Sam to be found innocent next chapter, then yu should probably review xxx**


	15. Chapter 15

**Thanks to all 18 ppl that reviewed the last chapter. There's just the one more after this and then i'm definately moving on. Hope you like this chapter. Plz R and R as always.**

**Love ya**

**xXx Leanne xXx

* * *

**

**Chapter Fifteen  
**

After the court was adjourned for the day Phil was waiting for Sam outside. When she walked out he pulled her aside. "Hey!"

She smiled faintly. "Hi!"

"Are you okay?" Phil asked.

Sam shrugged. "Well, as okay, as one can be when they're on trial for murder!" She looked at him. "It went okay in there today though!"  
"Yeah!" He agreed. "Your brief seemed to know what she's doing at any rate!"

"She's one of the best!" Sam replied. "If she can't help me then no-one can…" She paused. "I have to go! They'll be wanting to get me back to the prison!"

"It's okay!" Phil said. "I've cleared it with your wing governor, I'm allowed to transport you back!"

"Right!" Sam said tiredly, for once wishing that she could be alone. Her stomach was hurting again, and she felt sick. She knew that she wouldn't be able to keep her pregnancy secret forever but she wasn't ready to tell Phil yet. She knew she'd have to tell him soon though because she was nearly three months gone now and she was beginning to show. "We should go!" She told him. "I don't want to get you into trouble!"

Phil nodded. "We'll go out the back way… the press are out front, I think they were hoping you would make their front page story tomorrow morning."

"Come on then!" Sam said briskly. "What are we waiting for?"

He nodded again, and they walked out the court's back entrance in silence. "Sam!" Phil began hesitantly. "Yeah!" Sam answered shortly.  
"I'm only trying to help, you know?" He finished.

Her voice softened. "I know!" She said, turning to him. She ran a hand down the side of his face. "And it's not that I don't appreciate it but I need to deal with this in my own way!"

"I understand…" Phil replied. "But I just want you to know that I'm here, whenever you need me to be!"

"I know you are and I'm grateful!" Sam answered. "You know, they broke the mould when they made you!"

Phil smiled down at her. He tilted her face upwards and kissed her tenderly, not realising that they were being photographed. Pulling away he slipped his hand in hers and they walked out to the car.

* * *

Day two of the trial arrived. That day Terry and Phil would be giving their evidence, so Sam wasn't allowed to speak with them before it began. 

She sat nervously in the dock, as Phil was called forward to take the stand. "I swear by almighty God that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!" He said from memory, looking directly at Sam.

Melanie began to speak. "DS Hunter, you were first on the scene, is that correct?"

"Yes I was!" Phil answered.

"How long were you outside before you went in?"

Phil shrugged. "About five minutes!"

"And what did you see on entering the house?"

"Nothing at first, but then I turned the corner and walked into the hall and that's when I saw his… Stuart's body lying there in a pool of blood… There was blood splattered up the wall and the landline phone lay there with its wires cut. It looked like there'd been a struggle…" He explained.

"Okay thank you DS Hunter, and by that point was there any doubt in your mind that what had happened was self defence, as the defendant is claiming?"

"No, there wasn't!"

"Can you tell the court what happened next please?" Mel said.

"Yes, I walked through the hall and I heard crying coming from Sam's front room, so I walked in and Sam was curled up on the sofa covered in blood, sobbing."

"Did you talk to her?" Melanie continued her questioning.

"Yes, I asked her what had happened, I asked her if he'd hurt her…" Phil replied.

"And what did she say?"

"That it was self defence, that Stuart had attacked her and she was scared… or words to that effect!"

"To that effect? Don't you know exactly?"

"Well forgive me, but one of my colleagues was sitting there falling apart before my eyes, covered in her husband's blood claiming to have killed him, I'm hardly going to get out my notebook and start scribbling it all down, am I?"

"Okay point taken, no further questions for this witness!"

Victoria Nicholls stood up and turned to Phil. "DS Hunter, can I ask the nature of your relationship with the defendant?" She was asking this because of the photos a journalist had shown to her the previous evening.

Melanie stood up again, knowing that the answer to this question could sway the jury. "Objection, this isn't really relevant, I see no reason why the witness should answer the question!"

Judge Saunders looked at her. "Objection overruled, may the witness answer the question!"

Phil shot Sam a glance; he looked like a rabbit trapped in the headlights. "Yes, we're colleagues, and she's one of my best friends…"

"And that's it?"

Phil looked down at the floor of the witness box, knowing he couldn't lie under oath. He shot Sam an apologetic look before speaking again. "No, we're… we're in a relationship!" He admitted.

"A sexual relationship?" Ms Nicholls checked.

Phil bit his lip to stop him saying what he really wanted to. "Yes!" He said.

"And how long has this been going on?"

He wanted to tell her it was none of her business but he didn't dare. "About 6 months!"

"While Samantha was together with Stuart?"

Phil looked at the ground. "Yes!" He answered, embarrassed.

Victoria stepped back. "Thank you!" She said triumphantly, confident that she'd managed to prove something to the jury. Phil looked at Sam, who turned and looked away. "No further questions for this witness!"

After that the rest of the trial was a blur, Sam could vaguely remember Terry telling the court about her arrest but anything else she wasn't taking in. She looked across at Phil who was now sitting there with his head in his hands. She didn't blame him for telling the truth – she knew she couldn't expect him to lie in court and risk being charged with perverting the court of justice… But she also knew what the jury would make of information like this.

* * *

**Next Chapter: Day 3 of the trial... will Sam be found innocent?**

**If i get 6 reviews by Wednesday then i'll post up the next chapter then xxx**


	16. Chapter 16

****

Okay, so I know I said i'd post this up Wednesday but because i'm so lovely (although you may not think that by the end of the chapter) and because I had 15 reviews, I decided to post this up today (Tuesday). Thank you to... everyone... for reviewing. Please read and review the last chapter. (If you want to). Anyway Chapter One of the sequel will be with you in a couple days (in theory) Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed this fic. I really appreciate it!

Love you all,

xXx Leanne xXx

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen  
**

After that day's hearing, Phil stood outside the room waiting for Sam to come out again. When she did, he walked over to her. "Sam I'm sorry!" He said feeling like it was his fault.

She shrugged. "It's fine, I don't blame you!" She said, not looking at him.

He sighed. "It doesn't look like it!" He said, a sarcastic edge to his voice.

It was that what made Sam finally snap. "For heavens sake Phil!" She said angrily, "this is so totally like you, it always has to be about you doesn't it! You can be so selfish!"

Phil didn't say anything for a few moments; he was shocked at her outburst. "Well if you think that then maybe we shouldn't have got back together!" He said, not really thinking through what he was saying.

She shook her head, "no maybe we shouldn't!" She said calmly, although inside she was screaming 'not again – don't do this to me.'

"Fine then!" Phil said. "I guess this is it!" She nodded mutely. "Good luck for tomorrow Sam!"

He turned to leave and Sam wanted to tell him to stop, she wanted to tell him she loved him. Instead what she said was. "I'm sorry!"

She whispered it quietly but Phil still heard her. "So am I!" He said. He walked back over to her and kissed her on the cheek. "See ya!" He said sadly. She watched him walk away and suddenly felt very alone.

* * *

The next morning, Sam was woken up by a pain in her stomach. She was worried until she realised that what she was feeling was the baby kicking for the first time. As she felt it kick, she really wished she'd told Phil she was pregnant. He'd have made a fantastic dad to the baby even though it wasn't his… She'd told the FME that she was pregnant when they'd examined her - on the evening of her arrest – and they'd done a paternity test. The test proved that Phil wasn't the biological father – Stuart was! 

Just then the cell's heavy metal door creaked open and Sam looked over from where she was lying on her bed. One of the wardens was standing there. "Visitor for you Samantha…" He turned to the person behind him. "Five minutes, she's in court in under an hour." He finished, walking away.

Phil stepped inside the cell. Neither of them said anything for a few minutes then they both spoke at the same time. "I'm sorry!"

Sam giggled and the ice was broken. "No really!" She said. "I'm sorry for having a go at you yesterday, for calling you selfish." She stood up.

Phil shook his head. "It doesn't matter!" He said, finding that it didn't. "You're going through a tough time... I shouldn't have got mad at you..."

Sam smiled. "Friends?"

"I thought we were more than friends..." Phil said smiling slightly. "That's if you'll take me back?"

She didn't even need to think about it. "Of course!" She answered. "What would I do without you, hey?" She finished sitting back down

"Probably have a lot less complicated life!" Phil joked, following suit.

"Well I doubt that!" Sam said laughing again. "But it's still good having you around."

"Likewise!" Phil replied, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her.

Sam pulled away. "There's something I need to tell you!" She said.

"Go on!" He said anxiously. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I'm fine… Phil, you know you asked me if I was pregnant and I said I wasn't…" He nodded. "Well I lied… I'm nearly three months…" Phil was silent. "Say something…please…"

"That's fantastic… come here darling!" He pulled her into his arms and kissed her softly.

Sam pulled away and took his hand. "Here…" She put his hand on her stomach. "The baby kicked for the first time this morning!"

"Oh wow…" Phil said, almost incoherently. "Wow…that's amazing…"

Sam grinned. "I know… we're having a baby!" She said almost squealing with happiness.

"I suppose…" Phil began hesitantly. "I suppose the baby's mine?" He finished.

"Of course it is!" Sam lied. She'd seen the look on his face when she'd told him she was pregnant, and it's not like Stuart was around to bring up the child. "I'm surprised you're even asking me that!"

Phil was about to say something when the warden came back. "That's time!" He said to him.

Phil nodded. "Okay!" He said. He turned to Sam and took her hand, "I'll see you in court!" He said. "Love you!" He kissed her on the cheek.

"I love you too!" Sam called after his retreating figure.

* * *

The trial had been in progress for two hours and it was time from the final piece of evidence… Sam's side of the story. The medical expert, who had examined Stuart's corpse, had been first to take the stand. Sam hadn't really taken in any of it though, as she was extremely nervous. What made it worse was that her brief had told her that what she said might be what decided her verdict… 

"I now call my client, Samantha Nixon, repeat after me…" Sam read the oath and then Melanie began to question her. "Miss Nixon you lived at 32 Canley Road with Stuart for how long?"

"6 months…" Sam said nervously.

"Prior to the night that you killed him."

"Yes!"

"Can you tell us about the events of Monday 3rd February 2007 that lead up to your husband's death.

She nodded. "I went home at the end of my shift and Stuart was cooking dinner, I told him we needed to talk…"

"What about?" Melanie interrupted.

"I wanted a divorce, I told him this and I told him I was taking our daughter Chloe away, he didn't take it very well!" Sam said, her voice shaking.

"What did he do?"

"We started shouting at each other then I told him I was going upstairs to pack… he seemed to take it okay…I went upstairs and when I got back, I turned to leave and he was just standing in front of my front door holding a kitchen knife."

"Did he say anything?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, he said… he said…" She broke off.

"Take your time!" Melanie said gently.

Sam looked out into the gallery, directly at Phil before she spoke again. "He said, that if he couldn't have me then no one else could either!"

"Okay, so what did you do then?"

"I tried to calm him down, I tried to get him to drop the knife… at first I thought it had worked… but then he got even more angry…"

"Is that when you got cut with the knife?"

Sam shook her head. "No that was later…"

"At 7:09 pm, there was a call from your number to Sun Hill police station, is that correct?" Melanie asked.

"Yeah, it is, that was me… I tried calling for help… Stuart cut the phone wires… he got angry and pinned me up against the wall. That's when he stabbed me…"

"What did you do?"

"I tried to run, he chased me, and I panicked and grabbed the nearest thing I could reach… I closed my eyes and took a swipe at him. I just thought that if I could catch his arm I could knock him off balance. I wasn't aiming for his head, I was just trying to defend myself." Sam started to tremble.

"Okay no more questions for the defendant!"

Victoria Nicholls stood up and Sam knew that her statement was going to get ripped to shreds.

"Miss Nixon, can you tell us about your relationship with DS Hunter?" Was the first thing she said.

Sam gritted her teeth. The prosecution barrister had been through all this with Phil. Just what was she trying to prove? "We're together…" She said. "It's as simple as that!"

"And was Phil the reason you were leaving Stuart?"

Sam nodded. "Yes!"

"Do you know what I think happened?" Victoria said coolly. "I think that your husband was angry at Phil for taking you away from the marriage and I think you were scared for his safety…"

"So I killed him?" Sam said incredulously. "Well it's a good theory!" She replied angrily, knowing that she shouldn't but unable to stop herself. "But the fact remains that I didn't do it and unless you have any evidence to prove that I did…" She paused.

"Okay, that's enough Samantha!" Judge Saunders said. "Miss Nicholls if you've got enough evidence to back up this theory, then I think you should share it… if not, carry on with your questions!"

"Okay!" Victoria said. She turned to Sam, "Before that night, was there any prior indication that he was violent?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, twice!" She answered. "He got drunk and he hit me!"

"So why did you stay with him, if you knew what he was capable of? Surely you'd have been better to leave him before things got to that stage?"

Sam knew what she was getting at. "I know I should!" She said. "I wish I had, but I didn't, I stayed with him for my daughter Chloe's sake…that's all it was!"

"No further questions!" Victoria said sitting down.

Then Judge Saunders stood up and turned to the jury. He began to speak: "Members of the jury, you have heard all of the evidence on both sides of the story. Now it's up to you to decide on a verdict based on what you have heard over the past three days!" He turned back towards the other people in the room. "Court Rise!" Then everyone stood up and started walking out, to await the final ruling. Guilty or not guilty? It all depended on what the jury believed.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Sam's solicitor walked over to where she was standing with Phil. "The jury are making there way back in!" She said, before walking back into the courtroom. "The verdicts in!" 

Sam turned to Phil. "Well I guess this is it!" She said apprehensively.

He nodded, pulling her into his arms. "Good luck baby!" He whispered. He kissed her tenderly on the lips, knowing that it might be the last time he could hold her and kiss her the way he wanted to. "I'm with you no matter what happens…I love you!"

"I love you too!" Sam walked into the room and stood back in the box as the rest of the spectators filed back into the gallery. The judge entered and nodded. Everyone sat down. Judge Saunders turned and addressed the spokesperson from the jury. "Members of the jury have you reached a verdict on which you are all agreed? Just answer yes or no!"

"Yes!"

"On charges of murder, how do you find the defendant, Samantha Nixon? Guilty or not guilty?"

"We find the defendant…"

* * *

**Plz don't kill me... lol... I promise i'll post the sequel asap!!!!**

**xXx Leanne xXx**


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